Know when to wash your hands and set an example for your kids by washing hands, each time you return home, after using the bathroom, before eating and before/during/after preparing meals, after touching the garbage, after touching pets, and after sneezing/coughing/blowing your nose. (CDC 2021).
2. Make Fitness Fun:
Set aside time to be active together. Such as taking a walk after a meal, planting gardens, or dancing to your favorite music. Join a group activity that encourages movement such as playgroups, sports teams, or interactive clubs. Switch up holiday gifts to include active activities such as chalk, jump ropes, balls, or outdoor games.
3. Mealtime Matters:
Making the most of each mealtime not only will help you fuel your body properly, but it can also set an example for your family to set up healthy relationships with food. We recommend you remove distractions like phones, tablets, and TV during mealtimes to focus on conversation, internal hunger cues (how satisfied you are with your meal) and explore new foods.
4. Encourage Sleep:
Sleep helps us all rest and recover in many ways, including helping our immune system function at its best (Irwin, 2019). Set up a nightly routine where you start to relax about an hour before bedtime. Consistency is key, so try out the routine and be sure it works for you before setting it into your schedule.
Resources:
- Handwashing - Clean Hands Save Lives | CDC. Published May 14, 2021. Accessed June 14, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html
- Irwin, M.R. Nat Rev Immunol 19, 702–715 (2019).
